Dana Airline resumes operations 6 months after crash

Dana Airlines will today conduct its inaugural flight to Abuja, six months after one of its aircraft got involved in a crash that killed all 153 passengers and crew on board and others on ground at Iju Ishaga, Lagos, on June 3, 2012.

Coming barely two weeks after the House of Representatives called for revocation of the airline's operating licence, the flight, expected to take off in Lagos at 9:45 a.m, would have on board some VIPs, journalists, stakeholders in the aviation sector and celebrities, including Nollywood stars.

The airline's spokesman, Tony Usidamen, who confirmed this, yesterday, said all arrangements had been concluded for a seamless flight.

Vanguard learnt that Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, had issued a resumption letter to the airline to recommence operation after series of investigation and test flights by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

Usidamen said the resumption came after necessary approval was received from the Federal Government.

He also confirmed that the airline's reservation system had been abuzz with intending passengers making their bookings, saying that explained the reason the flight would be real-time.

The Federal Government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) revoked the company's operating licence, pending proper investigations into the cause of the crash.

In September 2012, the Federal Government reinstated the airline's licence and allowed it to resume, only with test flights.

In December 2012, NCAA issued a new Air Operators Certificate to Dana Air after it completed the necessary re-certification processes.

Vanguard

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Police arrest importer of fireworks that caused explosion in Lagos

Barely one week after the inferno that consumed parts of the famous Jankara market, at the Isale-Eko area of Lagos State, the Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it has arrested the owner and importer of the firecrackers which caused the fire.

This is just as two buildings including the one occupied by a newly wedded couple on Jones Street around Ebute West area of Lagos, were Wednesday razed by fire

The owner of the storage facility which housed the exploded firecrackers, Mr. Semilore Olalekan, was said to have been arrested as part of ongoing investigations into the fire.

However, police sources said the arrest might have been uncalled for since the suspect allegedly had the permission of the Police Anti-Bomb Unit and that of the office of the National Security Adviser.

The fire which happened on Wednesday last week had killed one person, left several others with varying degrees of injuries and razed over 20 buildings and a cars.

THISDAY gathered that part of the questions the importer is expected to answer is on why and how those explosives were brought into the country despite being a contraband item.

Although firecrackers are generally considered manifestly a contraband, they are usually available and used in cities and even rural areas during yuletide seasons.

But Gbolahan Moronfolu, the spokesman of the anti bomb unit explained that firecrackers can be imported when certified by the Inspector General of Police.

Olalekan who is currently being detained at Area A Command, Lion Building of the Lagos State Police Command, pending the aftermath of investigations, alleged that he has the permission of the police of import fire crackers.

Meanwhile, owners of structures and tenants of the 20 marked structures on Okoya and Ojo-Giwa streets in Lagos Island, site of the firecrackers explosion are now jittery over the probability of their properties not passing Non-Deformity Test on the marked structures.

Confirming the arrest, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said discreet investigation was ongoing.

She said: "The owner of the firecrackers has indeed been arrested and investigations are ongoing but it is too early to say on what grounds he would be charged to court."

This Day

NFF threaten to petition FIFA for Newcastle and Millwall to release Amoebi and Shittu

The Nigeria Federation (NFF) Tuesday threatened to petition FIFA if Newcastle United and Millwall FC of England failed to release two Nigerian players for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition.

The federation had invited Shola Ameobi of Newcastle and Millwall FC's Danny Shitu for the AFCON competition holding in South Africa between January 19 and February 10.

The Chairman, Technical Committee of NFF, Mr Chris Green, who confirmed this in Port Harcourt said if by January 5 Ameobi and Shittu failed to report to the Eagles' camp, the federation would write to FIFA against the clubs.

"Now, for Danny Shittu and Shola Ameobi, as far as we are concerned, we do not want that matter to distract us because the coach is ready to work without the players.

"But again, the football federation shall consider such attitude as quite unwholesome on the part of the players as well as their clubs because as it appears, it's the clubs that are pushing for these players not to honour the invitation to play for their country.

"So, of course, we are going to take the matter to FIFA; we are going to write appropriately; we are not going to lie low because, at least, let's do what is right, that we should not be taken for granted.

"After all, these players were found in Nigeria, these players are from Nigeria and they also desire to play for Nigeria.

"So, what is the problem? Why would they have to stop them, using underarm tricks to stop them. That will not be right," he said.

Green said both Newcastle and Millwall had not communicated with the federation officially over the inability of these players to play for Nigeria.

However, the NFF official said the coaching crew of the Super Eagles had other players to replace Ameobi and Shittu if they failed to report to camp.

He said more players would join others already in camp in Faro, Portugal, and that the team would play a friendly match with Cape Verde before the tournament, in South Africa.

This Day